For the desperate boozehound leaving the library or theater, though, there’s not so many options for a cocktail this bleak stretch of midtown, and it’s easy enough to find yourself giving the bar a try.

Maybe, avoiding the E-dates grimacing through appetizers and C-list fratboys misplaying pool, you bring your drink through the unadorned back door. As children would pass through, say, a wardrobe.

A wondrous, jarring, thoroughly misplaced grotto remains from the former tea house, and Momo’s wisely, amazing given the surrounding misdesign, simply left things alone beyond a few strands of Christmas lights less tacky than rakish given the context - Easter Island lounge as abandoned evidence of a once great culture utterly ignored by the natives currently in residence.

Reader Reviews

Momo Bar Maximo has
4
out of 5
based on 5 ratings and
14 user reviews.

Momo Bar

I love this bar. It's like a cozy dive. The bartenders are great. The patio out back is the best in downtown. The prices are reasonable. It's about the only bar in downtown I ever want to go to. The just took over the space next door and will be doubling their size soon.

Reviewed Anonymously by Anna on March 20, 2015, 12:24 pm

My Fav Happy Hour Place

Great place, great staff, great owner, great drinks, great patio, Great all around. All different kinds of people hang there, not separated by class, culture, political differences, race, relationship preferences, etc. The people there are all pretty welcoming and will, more often than not, invite you to sit with them. Always a good conversation going on, especially if your mind is open to hear what all sides think. Better than "Cheer's", this is my favorite Happy Hour spot. (Only one word of warning...be careful what you put in the jukebox...) Just sayin', "T"! ;)

Reviewed Anonymously by Danny Powell on December 28, 2011, 1:51 pm

It's just fine

This place is just fine to go to if you are in your 20's or 30's. Drinks reasonable, food tasty, and patio cool. They could use more mood lights inside toward the back but its mostly gone to for the patio. It's fun being between buildings and not hearing blaring traffic. Anyone over 40 will probably not be wanting to come here cause its a little young. As of recent, the chef there has ALWAYS been soooo nice to me and I have brought two dudes in on dates. Very cool considering its not a homo bar. I go to any bar no matter what.

As with any bar in PDX, go in and order a drink and check it out. If you don't like it then move on but try not to bash the place cause it makes you sound douchey. Seriously.

Reviewed Anonymously by Definitely Not Michael on October 18, 2010, 4:56 pm

Momos rocks

Hot bartender, the best patio in dwntwn great happy hour great place to take a date.

Reviewed Anonymously by Aaron on September 20, 2010, 7:34 pm

One of my favorites

The editor's comments are really harsh and altogether LAME! - I thought this place was one of the better bars downtown. The bartenders know how to make a mean drink and aren't asses about it. The outdoor patio speaks for itself with tons of seating and heat lamps as it is nestled in between several other buildings. And a $20 minimum for credit cards? FALSE! I bought a beer and cashed out no problem.

Reviewed Anonymously by steaker on July 26, 2010, 2:03 pm

Update!

The reviews here are old enough to be completely irrelevant, so it seems fitting to let the fine BF readers know how things really work at Momo's.

1. There doesn't actually seem to be a minimum on card purchases. That said, please don't be a douche and ask the staff to run your card after every drink you're served. It takes valuable drinking time away from your fellow patrons.

2. The cocktails are lovely. They are stiff, cheap and well flavored. If you want a designer beverage with extract of anise or muddled acai please mosey onward, but they make the basics just right.

3. The grilled cheese sandwich contains everything but the kitchen sink. All of your food groups are covered: obviously cheese & bread, but they go above and beyond with the tomato, bacon and avocado. It comes on the biggest bed of thin cut fries. You will not leave hungry.

4. The patio may not give you the same people-watching entertainment you might get at other downtown bars, but no one is asking you for change with a sob story.

Go. Drink. Socialize. Tip.

Reviewed Anonymously by Definitely Not LaDangerosa on June 23, 2010, 9:46 pm

OK

The editor's review is harsh but not unfair at least regarding the crowd and surroundings. My drink however was pretty decent... a booth of drunken idiots were singing along (badly) to unfortunately jukebox selections which I found somewhat entertaining (but the btender did not)...

There isn't much around this part of dtown, except for river city saloon(?) which I avoid...

I went here for my first and second time ever last week for happy hour. I wanted to try some place new and had passed by this place a hundred times leaving the library. Their happy hour drink specials are great with a strong poor and a small but nice little selection of micros. No food deals, but the chicken strips are more like chicken slabs. The outdoor seating in back really is awesome! I had six friends join me, and everyone enjoyed it. I'm waiting to see if they keep the grotto open/warm as the weather turns...

4 bux for a stiff ass drink. the best i can describe the atmosphere is that it's the dive bar for shirt guys. they were all over, including some dude proud of a dolce and gabbana jacket made out of baby seal. i only stayed because of the stiffness. 2 drinks and ya gotta go.

The DJs think they're cool. The bartenders can't make drinks for shit. And the customers leave little to be desired. This place is a fuggin dump. Avoid.

Reviewed Anonymously by Scoobs on August 12, 2005, 4:31 pm

Tell Us What You Think of Momo Bar Maximo

Your Name:

Subject

Overall Rating of Momo Bar Maximo

Lurrrrve it!It's fine.Meh.On the sucky side.Haaaate it!

What You Think:

Yes, these CAPTCHAs suck, but they are a necessary evil. Typing the words you see below proves you are a human.

Before hitting that submit button, please read the following guidelines:

Owners/Managers/Employees: Please do not make up a name to shill for yourself or bad mouth competitors because we WILL catch you. We have been known to "out" repeat offenders. It's fine to plug your own biz, or to reply to other reader's comments, just identify yourself as the owner/manager/employee you are. Trust us, it works to do it that way. It's great PR, our readers love it, we love it, and your business will love it.

Libel ain't cool, man. Naming names in an undeservedly negative or totally false review? That's libel. However, if you truly had a bad experience, please share it. If it's true, it ain't libel!

Were you 86ed for being a complete douchebag? Are you the perpetually unsatisfied bitch? The bartender's psycho ex? Are you copying & pasting the same review from/to Yelp, Facebook, etc.? Then you're undermining the value of our reader reviews. Don't waste your time posting.

The First Amendment covers your right to say whatever you want, and our right to choose whether or not to publish it. All reader reviews must be approved by BarFly staff, prior to being made live on the site.

By clicking submit, you authorize us to release details about your review(s), including your IP address, email, name, and any other contact info, if we are required to by "the authorities." Again, take your libel elsewhere.

Now, if you think your review will pass muster, click the submit button.

If you love BarFly, please support our advertisers.Have a drink and tell them, "I saw you on BarFly!" And tip, big.